REPORTSTony spoke of the Board vacancies and the timetable for the election. There is to be a wash up meeting for the Christmas Raffle Monday 29 February at the Novotel beginning at 6.00pm. Next Thursday 3 March a meeting will be held at Lee’s house for Swing into Wings, All welcome. There will be a meeting at Coniston for Wings Over Illawarra and David Swan will attend.Lee mentioned that we are still looking for Charities to receive money from Swing into Wings. Two charities raised at the meeting for consideration were The Dialysis Support Group and the Salvation Army.
The Interact Club of St. Mary’s will hold a Trivia Night Saturday 12 March at UOW, 6.00 for 6.30pm $10.00 per ticket, money to go to Imagination Library.
There will be a Polio Plus Movie Night, “Eddie the Eagle” Wednesday 13 April at the Gala Theatre, Warrawong – we will provide fruit platters.Di then spoke on the Imagination Library which provides disadvantaged children with a book every month for 3 years. Bellambi is just about to start with 50 children about to receive their first book for the month and this will continue for 3 years.The Secretary had nothing to report with only mail seeking funds from us. There was also a plea from our President to get onto and use our Website. www.illawarrasunrise.org.au

GUEST SPEAKEROur Guest Speaker, Mr Neil Webster, from the “Santa Pub Crawl” was introduced by Peter Hill.Neil informed us that the “Pub Crawl” had been around for 22 years and is now one of the 10 best Pub Crawls in the world. They raised $80,000.00 in 2015 which was given to the Salvation Army. Neil started and organised this event in 1993 when 16 people did the crawl and he continues today with about 10,000 people annually. Neil started this to try to change anti-social behaviour/drunken behaviour around Christmas. This objective continues today in a fun way but the message is still the same. 1998 there was about 400 – 500 people and that became a pivotal year, now there 10,000 people per year. Last year there were people from US, UK, Iceland, Russia and all States of Australia. In the 2000 a charity component was added. Initially they collected a child’s toy from each participant which was donated to the Salvation Army. Soon there were too many toys to cope with so in 2006 it was changed to a cash donation and now the participants purchase an arm band for $30.00 or $10.00. These bands then entitle you to entry into the venues the free bus rides up to 4.00am to get you home safely.
Since they have begun Neil has raised $700,000.00 in cash and toys and an estimate of 3,000,000.00 is bought in to the Wollongong economy each year. The $30.00 band gives you entry into the North Gong Pub, all venues on the crawl the shuttle bus and 2 drinks. The $10.00 band give you entry to the North Gong Pub, some venues and 2 rides on the shuttle bus. In 22 years there has been no major related arrests and minimal Police incidents.
The Santa Pub Crawl will be held on Saturday 10 December 2016. Neil is also trying to establish a “Santa Ride” from Towradgi Beach Hotel to the Illawarra Brewery. More news of this to come.The raffle was won by Chris Boddington who got a bottle of wine.